There is no general government grant that pays for solar panels on any home. Free or part-funded solar is available in 2026, but mainly to low-income households in England through the Warm Homes: Local Grant and, until the end of the year, the Energy Company Obligation (ECO4). Everyone else can still be paid for the power they export under the Smart Export Guarantee, but should expect to fund the installation themselves.
This guide sets out each scheme, who it is for, what it requires of the installer, and what to do if you do not qualify. It is written from the point of view of an electrical contractor that fits solar and batteries across Dorset, Hampshire and Devon.
TL;DR
- The main government-funded route for private homeowners in England is the Warm Homes: Local Grant, aimed at households with gross income below £36,000 or living in priority postcodes, in homes rated EPC D to G.
- ECO4 has been extended and now runs until 31 December 2026, so installations under it need to be completed by then.
- The Smart Export Guarantee is not a grant. It pays you for surplus power you export, at a rate each supplier sets, and your system must be MCS-registered.
- Funded solar must be part of a whole-house plan and fitted by an installer who is both Trustmark-registered and MCS-certified.
- If you do not qualify, the sums are about bill savings and export income over the years, not a subsidy up front.
Table of Contents
- Is there a solar panel grant for everyone?
- Warm Homes: Local Grant
- ECO4: still running, but not for long
- What installers must hold for funded work
- The Smart Export Guarantee: payment, not a grant
- Landlords: possible, but expect paperwork
- If you do not qualify: what to expect
- Our view: grants are a bonus, not a plan
- Looking after a system once it is in
- Checklist before you apply or sign
- FAQ
- Sources
Is there a solar panel grant for everyone?
No. This is the point most search results blur. Plenty of pages talk about “free solar panels” as if any household can apply. In practice the funding is targeted at households on lower incomes or in homes with poor energy performance, and it is delivered through local authorities or energy suppliers rather than by one national application.
The government’s direction is towards more support, not less. Its Warm Homes Plan commits to upgrading five million homes over five years, and BBC reporting on the 2026 plan describes extra money for low-income households for solar and battery funding. But the same coverage quotes the MCS Foundation making the point that households able to pay should expect to cover significant parts of the cost themselves.
So the first job is to work out which group you are in.
| Your situation | Realistic route |
|---|---|
| Low income, home rated EPC D to G, in England | Warm Homes: Local Grant, or ECO4 while it lasts |
| Landlord with a rental in the same EPC band | Possible, but with extra paperwork (see below) |
| Able to pay, any EPC rating | Self-funded install, plus Smart Export Guarantee income |
| Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland | Separate devolved schemes, check your own government’s pages |
The schemes below are described for England unless stated. Devolved nations run their own programmes.
Warm Homes: Local Grant
This is the scheme to look at first. According to the official GOV.UK application page, you could get free energy-saving improvements if you are on a low income, receive certain benefits or live in a particular postcode area.
The key points as of October 2026:
- Who it targets: low-income households with gross income below £36,000, or those in priority postcodes.
- Which homes: typically those with an EPC rating of D to G, with the work aimed at reaching Band C.
- What it covers: energy performance improvements, including solar PV. Eligible owner-occupiers can receive up to £30,000 in total funding: up to £15,000 for energy performance measures and up to £15,000 for low-carbon heating.
- Who runs it locally: your local authority. Even if you meet the national criteria, you generally need to live in a participating area. Camden Council’s page is a typical example of how councils describe it: free improvements such as insulation, solar panels or heat pumps for low-income, privately owned homes.
That last point matters in our patch. Dorset, Hampshire and Devon each contain several local authorities, and the rollout, priority postcodes and application windows can differ between them. Start with your own council’s website and the GOV.UK page, not an advertising page that promises approval.
What the funding does not do
The grant is not a voucher for a few panels on a roof you would like to improve. Solar is funded as part of a package that raises the property’s energy performance. An installer cannot simply bolt on panels: the measure has to contribute towards lifting the EPC rating towards Band C.
That also means the grant may come with other measures first, such as insulation or ventilation, before or alongside solar. If your home already has a good EPC rating, the scheme is unlikely to fit.
ECO4: still running, but not for long
The Energy Company Obligation is paid for by energy suppliers and delivered to low-income and vulnerable households in private domestic properties. According to Ofgem’s local authority guidance, ECO4 has been extended by nine months and now runs until 31 December 2026. Ofgem’s update on new measures and products confirms the extension is set out in the Electricity and Gas (Energy Company Obligation) (Amendment) Order 2026.
It covers measures including solar PV and battery storage, again for homes with an EPC rating of D to G. Properties must meet specific SAP band requirements, and for installations under the local authority flexible route, the work must be completed by 31 December 2026.
With today’s date in late October, that leaves little time. If you think you qualify, do not wait for a perfect moment. A survey, assessment and installation slot all have to fit inside the window, and a delayed application may simply miss it. Whether anything replaces ECO4 after that date is for the government to announce, so check Ofgem and GOV.UK rather than relying on a page that assumes it will.
How to approach ECO4 sensibly
- Ask your council whether it runs a flexible eligibility route and whether you are on its list.
- Check your current EPC rating on the government register. If it is A to C, you will not qualify.
- Be wary of unsolicited calls or door-knocking promising free panels. Funded work should go through registered installers and an assessment, and you should never be asked to pay to “unlock” a grant.
- Ask any installer for their Trustmark and MCS details, and confirm them on the schemes’ own registers.
What installers must hold for funded work
For solar to be eligible under the Warm Homes: Local Grant or ECO4, it must sit inside a whole-house retrofit plan assessed to PAS 2035, with the installation carried out by a contractor who is both Trustmark-registered and MCS-certified. This is the part that catches people out. A cheap quote from an installer without these registrations may be cheaper on paper but can disqualify the funding and, later, your export payments.
MCS certification matters beyond grants too, because it is a condition of getting paid under the Smart Export Guarantee.
The Smart Export Guarantee: payment, not a grant
Many “solar grant” articles list the Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) alongside the grants. It is useful to know, but it works differently.
Under the SEG, solar owners receive payments for renewable electricity exported to the grid. As the government’s response document sets out, to qualify:
- your system must be registered with the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS);
- you need a smart meter, with exports metered, usually half-hourly;
- you must sign up to a SEG tariff with an electricity supplier.
There is no national minimum rate. Suppliers need only offer a rate greater than zero, so what you earn depends on the tariff you choose. Smart tariffs that vary by the half-hour can pay more than a simple flat rate, so compare before you sign. We have explained the mechanics in more detail in what a Smart Export Guarantee is, how export payments work for homeowners and what a solar export meter does.
If you are comparing the effect on your bills, how solar reduces household bills walks through where the savings come from: using your own generation, and being paid for the rest.
Landlords: possible, but expect paperwork
Landlords often search for energy grants too. Eligibility for the Warm Homes: Local Grant depends on the property sitting in a participating authority area or priority postcode, and for rentals the property typically needs an EPC of D to G. Landlords may also need to show they cannot meet energy standards otherwise, or that they are exempt, which adds documentation. Speak to the council’s housing or energy team before commissioning any work, and keep the EPC and tenancy records to hand.
If you do not qualify: what to expect
Most homeowners in our area will not meet the income or EPC criteria. That does not make solar a poor choice, but the case rests on savings rather than a subsidy.
The BBC’s coverage of the Warm Homes Plan cites estimates that an average three-bedroom semi-detached home installing solar, batteries and heat pumps could save at least £500 a year on energy bills, with some estimates above £1,000. That figure is for the combined package, not solar alone, so treat it as a ceiling for a full upgrade rather than a promise for panels only.
A few practical ways to improve your own numbers:
- Size the battery to your actual use. Oversizing is an expensive mistake. See how to size a home battery with 12 months of meter data.
- Check the payback honestly. Our piece on when a home battery can pay back in 8 to 11 years shows the assumptions that matter.
- Look at real figures. Real examples of solar battery savings in 2026 show what households have seen, not just brochure numbers.
- Pair it with an EV charger if you drive electric, so daytime generation is used rather than exported at a low rate. Our Hampshire guide to EV charger and solar pairing covers this.
- Consider your property. Period homes and coastal locations have their own quirks, covered in our Dorset period properties guide and why solar suits coastal homes.
For a plain walk-through of what an installation involves from survey to commissioning, read solar panel installation explained for southern England.
Our view: grants are a bonus, not a plan
We install solar, batteries and EV chargers for homeowners, landlords and businesses across Dorset, Hampshire and Devon, so we hear the same question weekly: “Can I get this free?”
Our honest answer is that a minority of households can, and they should use every pound of that support while it lasts. For everyone else, we would rather you judged a system on what it will do for your bills over its life than on whether a headline offers free panels. Be suspicious of anything that sounds too generous: funded work has strict rules, and the rules protect you.
What we would ask of any installer, including us: show your MCS certificate, explain how the system is sized to your meter data, say what export tariff is realistic, and write it all down. We hold MCS and NICEIC accreditation and aim to give clear quotes and clear communication, so you can compare like with like. And if your council tells you that you qualify for a funded scheme, ask who the approved installers are and use them.
— Simon
Looking after a system once it is in
Whether funded or paid for privately, a system should be checked periodically. Our Solar & Battery Service & Maintenance Plan costs £175 per year, and our Dorset annual service guide explains what a service check covers.
If you are ready to price a system, our solar installations page explains how we survey and quote across Dorset, Hampshire and Devon. If you drive an electric car, we also fit home and business EV chargers.
Checklist before you apply or sign
- Find your EPC rating and date.
- Check your household income against the £36,000 gross threshold used by the Warm Homes: Local Grant, and any benefits you receive.
- Contact your local council about the Warm Homes: Local Grant and ECO4 flexible routes.
- Confirm any installer is both Trustmark-registered and MCS-certified.
- Never pay a fee to “release” a grant.
- If self-funding, get quotes based on your real usage, and choose a SEG tariff only after comparing suppliers.
FAQ
Can I get free solar panels from the government?
Only if you qualify. In England, the Warm Homes: Local Grant can fund solar for low-income households or those in priority postcodes, usually in homes rated EPC D to G. ECO4 offers similar help until 31 December 2026. There is no scheme that gives free panels to every homeowner.
Is the Smart Export Guarantee a grant?
No. It is a payment for the surplus electricity you send to the grid. Your system must be MCS-registered, you need a smart meter, and the rate depends on the tariff your supplier offers, which only has to be above zero.
What is the maximum I can get under the Warm Homes: Local Grant?
Eligible owner-occupiers can receive up to £30,000 in total: up to £15,000 for energy performance measures and up to £15,000 for low-carbon heating. Solar sits within the energy performance element, and funding depends on what your home needs to reach EPC Band C.
Are there grants for landlords?
Possibly, but it is more complicated. Rental properties typically need an EPC of D to G, and landlords may have to evidence that they cannot meet energy standards otherwise or are exempt. Ask your local council before arranging any work.
Does the installer matter for funding?
Yes. For the Warm Homes: Local Grant and ECO4, the installer needs to be Trustmark-registered and MCS-certified, and the solar must form part of a whole-house plan assessed to PAS 2035. Without that, funding and export payments can both be at risk.
Sources
- Apply for the Warm Homes: Local Grant, GOV.UK
- Warm Homes: Local Grant allocation guidance, GOV.UK
- Warm Homes: Local Grant, Camden Council
- ECO4 and GBIS Flex local authority guidance, Ofgem
- ECO4 new measures and products guidance, Ofgem
- Smart Export Guarantee government response, GOV.UK
- UK households to get £15bn for solar and green tech, BBC News
